Three decades as music librarian
By Caroline Moseley
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Paula Morgan (r) with student
assistant Maria Shepard '02 (Photo by Denise
Applewhite)
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The music library, as befits its connection with "one of the most prominent music departments in the country," has many strengths, according to Morgan. "We have a great deal of material on music theory; we have music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance; we collect music of, and materials relating to, Bach, Beethoven, Wagner and opera of all periods," she says.
The library also boasts the James Hall Handel Collection, the largest collection of early printed editions of Handel in the United States; this collection is housed by Rare Books and Special Collections in Firestone.
In addition to books about music, scores, recordings, microforms and videos, the library offers electronic bibliographic resources such as the International Index of Music Periodicals and Abstracts of Music Literature.
60,000 sound recordings
Not included are materials on music education or music therapy, says Morgan; nor does the library collect orchestral parts ("We do have orchestral scores; we do not collect individual instrumental parts," she clarifies). The library holds 200 journals, 30,000 books, 35,000 scores, 4,500 microfilms and 60,000 sound recordings. With much contemporary music, whether vernacular or classical, "The recording is the primary source," Morgan points out.
The library's total shelf capacity is 12,351 linear feet. In terms of reader capacity, there are 16 listening stations, four video carrels, 24 student carrels and a reading room that accommodates 30.
And whereas patrons used to be almost entirely musicologists, composers or performers, "There's a great deal more interdisciplinary study of music today," Morgan notes. "Students and faculty from history or sociology, studying jazz, rock, blues or rap music, are just as likely to use the library as people from the Music Department."
Other people's money
Morgan's responsibilities as librarian include oversight of the library's operations, as well as acquisitions and reference work. Her administrative tasks are eased by the help she receives from Assistant Music Librarian Tom Moore, who handles the sound recordings, and two library assistants and approximately 15 student workers.
Acquisitions take a great deal of attention, she says, because of the proliferation of possible materials and the breadth of Princeton's collection. She takes seriously her trust in "spending other people's money," she says, and for the most part she adds to the collection "in a kind of ripple effect, building upon our strengths." For example, "If we have materials by Beethoven and about him, we would also be interested in materials about those who studied with him."
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Page 1 of the score of J.S.
Bach's Cantata No.118, "O Jesu Christ, mein's
Lebens Licht" (1736-37). The original autograph
manuscript, which belongs to William Scheide '36,
is in the Scheide Library, associated with the
Department of Rare Books and Special Collections;
copies are available for study in the Music
Library.
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It's the reference questions that most engage Morgan, because "I like to see what people are working on." However, she says, the most difficult aspect of reference is finding out what the patron is actually looking for. "People almost never tell you right off what it is they really want to know."
She cites a recent interaction. "A man came in and asked, 'Do you have sheet music?' Yes, I said, Any particular kind? 'Do you have Beethoven?' Yes, anything you're looking for? 'Do you have Beethoven piano sonatas?' Yes, any special one? Well, it turned out his teacher wanted him to study a particular edition of a particular piece. I could help him, but it wasn't easy."
She notes that this exchange is known in schools of information science (formerly known as library schools) as the "reference interview."
The most unusual query she has received?
"A patron came in and asked me, 'How can I get biographical information? I can't tell you on whom.' I referred him to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He used the S and T volumes, and when he left he said, 'That was just what I wanted.' I thought he was probably working on an honorary degree recommendation, but no one whose name began with S or T received an honorary degree that year. So I'll never know."
The most common telephone inquiry received by the library, says Morgan, is from alumni widows seeking a copy of "Old Nassau" for a deceased husband's funeral. "We keep copies of the song for this purpose and are happy to mail them out," she says.
Absalom Jones Gospel Choir
Morgan, who graduated from Mills College, has a master's degree in musicology from Columbia University as well as a master of library science degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
During her 36 years at Princeton, she has been active in her profession. She recently cochaired the Large Research Libraries Roundtable of the Music Library Association. She wrote about 150 articles for the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980) and has revised those entries and written some new ones for the second edition, which is expected out this year. She cocurated the exhibition "Il Caro Sassone: George Frideric Handel at Princeton," which was on view in Firestone Library from September 1999 through January 2000.
When not perusing publication lists or clarifying reference enigmas, Morgan enjoys listening to music, preferably Beethoven, Berlioz or Dvorak. She confesses she doesn't particularly like Vivaldi or Puccini (but will, of course, assist library patrons who do). In a more populist vein, she is currently singing with the Absalom Jones Inspirational Gospel Choir of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton.
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